Intel Core i5-13600K vs Intel Core i9-12900F

Processor comparisons   29-09-2022
   Let's say there are difficulties with the choice of a CPU, you will solve them by reading the detailed tests Intel Core i5-13600K vs Intel Core i9-12900F and decide which is better for games or simple use for rendering, streaming, machine learning, programming, video editing. Here you can find useful information from real streaming and video editing tests or many benchmarks. A thorough analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in synthetic type tests like MATLAB, Handbrake, Dolphin Emulator, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Gears 5, UserBenchmark, VeraCrypt, Blender, PassMark, Prime95, Furmark, 3DMark, WPrime, SuperPi, PCMark 10, AIDA64, RealBench, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, 7zip, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), DaVinci Resolve Studio, Blender.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

Borderlands 3
Valheim
Grand Theft Auto V
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Fortnite
Watch Dogs Legion
Rainbow Six Siege
Red Dead Redemption 2
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone
Death Stranding
Halo Infinite
DOOM: Eternal
Apex Legends
Valorant
Overwatch
Fallout 76
Cyberpunk 2077
Last Man Standing

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which CPU is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-12900F or Intel Core i5-13600K.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Core i5-13600K

64%

Core i9-12900F

65%

The number of this parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-12900F is 1% better than Core i5-13600K. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i5-13600K

60%

Core i9-12900F

59%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor at the moment. And it is clear that this is a server processor, on which no one will play games. Because the cost of this processor reaches several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a small game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of other games in which CPU comparisons were performed: Control, Forza Horizon 4, Metro Exodus, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), League of Legends (LOL), Monster Hunter World, DOTA 2A, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Horizon Zero Dawn, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Battlefield V, NBA 2K20, Ghostrunner, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Hitman 3, Half-Life: Alyx, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	106.5	104.5
Valorant	121.0	118.8
Cyberpunk 2077	67.8	66.5
Apex Legends	113.7	111.6
Call of Duty Warzone	90.8	89.1
Overwatch	98.0	96.2
Red Dead Redemption 2	83.5	81.9
DOOM Eternal	60.5	59.4
Warzone	94.4	92.6
Assassin's Creed	101.6	99.8
Valheim	100.4	98.6

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The computers participating in the comparisons not only were the equipped with different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 4K, 2K or FullHD. Therefore, the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. To be sure exactly how much performance the processor will be in games, if you get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i5-13600K

54%

Core i9-12900F

97%

To make a finishing resolution on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. The newer the processor generation, the better its performance in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i9-12900F is more energy efficient than the Core i5-13600K as it consumes less power: 125W vs. 65W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, it will be useful to know its TDP. You need to buy a cooler that has the TDP data specified in the specification was greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

For example you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for video editing or video rendering, programming, streaming, machine learning, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum efficiency, the CPU turns on all threads and cores that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to find out whether the software that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that can use only one core to run, and all the benefit of multi-core mode turns out to be unnecessary.
Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i5-13600K	Intel Core i9-12900F
Cinbench 15 Single-core	400	449
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	4282	4734
Cinbench 20 Single-core	673	750
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	9530	10524
Cinbench 23 Single-core	2405	2661
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	27440	30285

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i5-13600K	Intel Core i9-12900F
Single-Core	2197	6936
Multi-Core	46776	51775

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i5-13600K	Intel Core i9-12900F
Single-Core	2049	1904
Multi-Core	18118	16188

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most useful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. The newer the processor, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. The same can be said about overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in the newest games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i5-13600K	Intel Core i9-12900F
Announcement date	September 23, 2022	July 21, 2021
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA1700	FCLGA1700
Core name	Raptor Lake	Alder Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	13	12
Turbo Frequency	5.1 MHz	5.1 MHz
Frequency	3.9 MHz	3.8 MHz
Cores	14	16
Threads	20	24
Bus rate	16 GT/s	16 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	14200 millions	12600 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	125 W	65 W
Memory type	Up to DDR5 5600 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency	6500	6400
Memory bandwidth	89.6 GB/s	76.8 GB/s
L1 cache	2 MB	2 MB
L2 cache	8 MB	12 MB
L3 cache	24 MB	30 MB
Overclocking	y	No
Supports ECC	Yes	No
Part number	Expansion Options

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i5-13600K is 2% better than Core i9-12900F in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-12900F has 2 more core than Core i5-13600K. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-13600K is better: 21
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-12900F is better: 12
Although it should be understood that all the data that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should fully trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Better to watch the video tests and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i5-13600K and Intel Core i9-12900F before deciding which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

Intel Core i5-13600K - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Intel Core i5-13600K specs and review.

Intel Core i9-12900F - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Intel Core i9-12900F specs and review.